Police say an autopsy confirmed foul play was not a factor in the death of former Detroit Red Wing tough guy Bob Probert.

But police would not release the cause of death.

Probert, 45, died of a suspected heart attack Monday aboard a pleasure boat on Lake St. Clair.

The father of four had no vital signs when other passengers radioed for help and docked at Lakeshore, east of Windsor. EMS attempts to revive him en route to hospital were unsuccessful.

Probert's father-in-law, Dan Parkinson, said at a news conference Monday night that Probert had complained of "severe chest pain" around 2 p.m. before collapsing.

"This was totally unexpected," Parkinson said. "Bob lost the fight of his life this afternoon."

Probert made headlines for scraps with the law, car crashes, alcohol, substance abuse, for his time in an NHL-supervised treatment centre and his inability to cross the border to his native Windsor or play road games in Canada. Yet those who coached him and played against him remain in awe of how he could fight and contribute on offence.

Probert sits fifth in NHL penalty minutes with 3,300. He retired in 2002 after 16 seasons, during which he also had 384 points.